For 32 years, I have stood alongside families and communities devastated by murder, violence, and unspeakable loss. A few weeks ago, I saw a headline that referred to the Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan neighborhoods derisively as the “Murder Triangle.”

Every year, I see similar headlines and stories that focus on pain, but rarely lift up the resilience and incredible work being done by those who live, serve, and love in these neighborhoods.

Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan are not defined by murder.

Behind every act of violence is a wide circle of pain. The survivors left behind are the ones listening when the media defines their communities by tragedy.

In April of this year, Boston City Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune, Brian Worrell, & John Fitzgerald issued a resolution to declare the Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan communities as Boston’s Peace Triangle. This followed a call I made in the Boston Herald, published on what would have been my son’s 47th birthday.

“These communities are home to extraordinary peace-building efforts led by survivors, residents, faith leaders, and local organizations, and are marked by strength, compassion, and transformative love. We reject the harmful framing of these neighborhoods as a “murder triangle” and instead affirm them as the “peace triangle,” communities that embody the daily work of healing, justice, and nonviolence.”

These neighborhoods must be seen for their worth, not their wounds.

I invite reporters to speak to those impacted by violence and to those working towards prevention, healing, and transformation: the youth advocates, mothers supporting other mothers, healers holding space for grief and recovery, and the survivors who turn their pain into purpose. Peace is a communal effort.

So I am calling for a new approach. I invite the media to create a “Peace Beat,” with reporters dedicated to telling the full story: not just the murder, but also the movement toward peace.

As part of this vision, I extend an open invitation to the media to participate in a training hosted by the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, focused on reporting that honors the dignity of victims, survivors, and communities. Together, we can reshape how stories are told and ensure that coverage promotes healing, justice, and accountability for all.

I joined Kerry Kavanaugh on Boston 25 to talk more about this vision, the realities our communities face, and the steps we can all take to build peace.

Boston is a city of survivors, peacebuilders, and visionaries. Together, let’s tell a fuller story.